Since the earliest days of humankind, there has been a need and desire for physical exercise. It is readily apparent when two individuals, one of whom exercises and the other does not, attempt to do a physically strenuous activity. The person who exercises and maintains him/her self in good physical condition not only is usually able to perform better, but also for a longer duration with less stress.
The medical community has embraced exercise and many doctors and other health care professionals have begun “prescribing” a consistent routine of exercises in addition to medicine. This increased awareness and necessity for exercise has resulted in a rapidly growing number of health clubs, gyms and personal fitness machines and equipment. Some health clubs and fitness machines have become very popular and widely used, but many health clubs and machines have lost much of their popularity because of their complexity, size and cost.
As a result of the diminished exposure of exercise, many companies that had previously invested large amounts of time and money in developing new types of exercising machines no longer do so. This is unfortunate because many individuals in the medical community have continued their research into the human body and how it reacts to stress, exercise, etc., and with these new findings there has become available a better understanding of how best to exercise.
The ability to use current knowledge and technology for designing new and improved exercise machines is one of the most effective ways to guarantee future body conditioning and maintenance. By utilizing advanced technology, the instant exercising apparatus solves many of the problems inherent in previously available exercising apparatuses.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
PATENT NO.INVENTORISSUED5,692,997StearnsDec. 2, 19975,665,041HsiehSep. 9, 19975,273,509VittoneDec. 28, 19935,069,447Snyderman, et alDec. 3, 19912,543,729MagidaFeb. 27, 1951
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,997 patent discloses an exercise machine having a platform on which a user is supported in a reclining position with the weight of the user being utilized as a resistance. The resistance may be selectively varied to the various exercises, which may be performed on the exercise apparatus. A lever is pivotally connected to the platform with the lever being actuated by the user for raising one end of the platform with respect to a pivot point. The pivotal mounting of the lever on the platform varies the resistance to such raising.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,041 patent discloses an abdominal exercise apparatus wherein upper and lower body supports are provided and interconnected to coordinate upper and lower abdominal workouts. The apparatus provides resistance for the abdominal exercises.
Further, the interconnection between the upper and lower body supports may be selectively disconnected so that individual upper and lower abdominal exercises can be performed.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,509 patent discloses a handle for an exercise machine having a force resistor such as a cable system, wherein a weight stack supplies resistance to movement of the handle along a path through the interconnecting cable system. The handle includes a grip supported on an elongate arm and a base includes structure for connecting the handle to the force resistor.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,447 patent discloses an adjustable weight-lifting bench that is adapted to be converted from a flat to a sitting position with little or no displacement of the user's head and shoulders in relation to the stationary upright barbell supports. The bench seat frame is pivotally connected to the back frame, a second end of the seat frame is pivotally connected to one end of a support arm, and the second end of the support arm is pivotally connected to a base frame.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,729 patent discloses an exercising device for use in gymnasiums, or homes. The device includes a structure consisting of a pair of arms pivoted together at one end by means of friction disks. The disks can be adjusted to vary the resisting friction and in which the device is free to be swing as desired.